Smoke-free

Health vs. wealth

New Yorkers feel better in their bodies, worse in their wallets

May 05, 2003

Like many other bartenders and restaurant workers around New York City, Mike McNamee is torn between "betters"--better health or better tips.

"It's better for me healthwise," McNamee, 28, who works in Figaro's Pizzeria and Bar, said of the city smoking ban in eateries and bars, which took full effect Thursday. "But I'm losing so much money I'm going to have to get another job."

McNamee, who has worked at Figaro's for six years, said business is down between 20 percent and 30 percent at the midtown bar since the smoking ban loosely took effect in early March.

"And I'm down at least $100 a day in tips," he said this weekend as he pulled on a lever to a Yuengling Lager tap. "Over five days, that's $500 a week."

With the ban official as of Thursday, owners of indoor businesses were issued fines if someone smoked in their establishments. In the run-up to the ban, only violation notices had been handed out.

Greg Butler, a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spokesman, said that since early March about 100 inspectors have been deployed to bars and restaurants, while 12 employees were sent out to inspect other workplace environments. That number was not increased over the weekend, he said.

It was unclear how many fines were issued in the past two days because the department does not tally the fines daily, Butler said.

But the effects of the ban were being felt by workers and customers long before Thursday.

At Figaro's, Angie Long, 36, and Teresa Weaver, 40, left after Long drank one glass of wine and Weaver had one beer. Before the ban, they said, they would have stayed and each had at least three drinks.

The two men disagreed on the ban. Roberto, a network administrator, said the law is a drag because it forces him to leave the bar four to five times a night. Diaz, a project manager, said the ban has helped him cut down on smoking.

"It's a hassle to have to come out and smoke," Roberto said. "But I have cut down on smoking.

"I used to go through 20 cigarettes on a night out; now, I'm down to four or five. But I still don't like the ban."